Sports-related head injuries and concussions have become increasingly common. The frequency of injuries is growing each year while public tolerance is shrinking. These injuries vary in complexity with each sport, and there is a need to minimize or eliminate these injuries altogether.
Head injuries are common in swimming pools. Swimmers obtain head injuries by hitting their head on a rigid pool surface, such as the walls, or by running into other swimmers as they learn to swim, train to swim faster, and compete on a regular basis. Whether or not these injuries result in long-term negative physical effects or are shaken off, swimmers are repeatedly at risk of head injuries or concussions when they have impacts with the wall or other swimmers.
Current swim caps are round, do not mimic the shape of the human head, wrinkle when they are worn, and do not cover a swimmer's ears. All of these features increase drag and swim times for competitive swimmers. Additionally, swimmers frequently have to wear two caps: a regular silicone cap and a racing cap to cover the wrinkles in the silicone cap.
A swim cap is needed that fits like a traditional latex or silicone swim cap, but that protects swimmers from head injuries due to impact with a wall or other swimmers.